Section 275 of IPC : Section 275: Sale of adulterated drugs

Explanation using Example

Example 1:

Ravi owns a small pharmacy in a rural village in India. He receives a batch of cough syrup from a supplier. Upon inspection, Ravi notices that the syrup has an unusual color and consistency, indicating possible adulteration. Despite knowing this, Ravi decides to sell the syrup to his customers without informing them of the potential issue. One of his customers, a young child, consumes the syrup and falls seriously ill. Under Section 275 of the Indian Penal Code 1860, Ravi can be prosecuted for selling adulterated drugs, as he knowingly sold a product that was less effective and potentially harmful.

Example 2:

Dr. Mehta runs a private clinic in a small town. He receives a shipment of antibiotics from a pharmaceutical company. During a routine check, Dr. Mehta discovers that the antibiotics have been diluted, making them less effective. Instead of returning the shipment, Dr. Mehta decides to issue these antibiotics to his patients, claiming they are unadulterated. One of his patients, unaware of the adulteration, uses the antibiotics and does not recover from their infection. Dr. Mehta can be charged under Section 275 of the Indian Penal Code 1860 for issuing adulterated drugs for medicinal purposes, knowing they were less effective.

Example 3:

Sunita, a wholesaler of medical supplies, receives a large consignment of pain relief tablets. She notices that the tablets have a strange odor and suspects they might be adulterated. Despite her suspicions, she distributes the tablets to various pharmacies across the city. One of the pharmacies sells these tablets to a customer who experiences severe side effects. Sunita can be held liable under Section 275 of the Indian Penal Code 1860 for distributing adulterated drugs, as she knowingly exposed them for sale.

Example 4:

A large pharmaceutical company, PharmaCorp, discovers that one of its popular over-the-counter painkillers has been contaminated during the manufacturing process, making it potentially harmful. Instead of recalling the product, PharmaCorp continues to distribute it to retailers. A consumer purchases the painkiller and suffers adverse health effects. The executives of PharmaCorp can be prosecuted under Section 275 of the Indian Penal Code 1860 for knowingly selling and exposing adulterated drugs to the public.